Multiple-spur tree climber



Oct. 11, 194-9. 1-, MUNGER ET AL 2,484,181

MULTIPLE-SPUR TREE CLIMBER Filed April 2, 1948 v y 1 ,w SJMW rmmuusan 'T.KACHIN ZMMMQM Patented Oct. 11, 1949 MULTIPLE-SPUR TREE CLIMBER Thornton 'I'. Munger and Theodore Kachin, Portland, reg., dedicated to the free use of the People in the territory of the United States Application April 2, 1948, Serial No. 18,703

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) 3 Claims.

This application is made under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended by the act of April 30, 1928, and the invention herein described and claimed if patented in any country, may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America throughout the world for govermnental purposes without the payment to us of any royalty thereon.

We hereby dedicate the invention herein described to the free use of the People in the territory of the United States to take effect on the granting of a patent to us.

This invention relates to a multi-spur tree climber. It particularly relates to a tree climber having three or more spurs which are designed to substantially simultaneously dig into and engage the tree or pole being climbed.

An object of this invention is to provide a tree climber in which the weight of the climber is distributed over a number of spur points, to provide added safety to the climber, and to decrease the penetration of each spur point into the cambium layer.

A further object of this invention is to dispose three or more spur points in an arc, preferably circular, of average tree diameter, so that the points can be dug into the bark simultaneously and distribute the weight of the climber.

Another object of this invention is to utilize a number of shorter spurs to take the place of the customary single long spur, to minimize penetration of and damage to the cambium layer.

One embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the climber dug into the tree bark;

Figure 2 is an outside face view of the assembled climber;

Figure 3 is a section on line 33;

Figure 4 is a perspective of one of the inside spurs;

Figure 5 is a vertical section, on line 5-5;

Figure 6 is a perspective of an end or outside spur.

The climbing iron comprises a leg portion or shank I having the conventional eye 2 for the strap, and stirrup portion 3. The latter may also have the usual eye for a second strap. Attached to I by means of bolts 4 is a slotted plate 5 which serves as holder for five spurs. The slot 6 extends from side to side of the plate, the spur flanges being insertable at each side edge. The upper and lower edges of the slot are inclined as shown in Figure 5, to retain the spur flanges. The back face or inner face of the slot is preferably flat or planar, as indicated by the dotted line in Figure 3.

The five spur points are preferably identical in shape, slope, and in length. The spurs form an angle of about 25 with plate 5. As shown in Figure 2, the spur points are rectangular in cross section.

The three inner spurs (Figure 3) are preferably identical in shape, both as to the points 8 and the integral flanges 9. Since the slot face 6' is planar, the three points 8 are on a straight line. By suitably tapering the two outer flanges 9, as taught below for flanges H, the three points 8 can be placed in an arc.

The two outer points H] are identical in shape with points 8. Each point It] has an integral flange ll. As shown in Figures 3 and 6, the flanges ll taper in horizontal section. This tilts the points In toward each other, in a horizontal plane and causes the points It] to project farther from the plate 5 than points 8. The two points It and center point 8 preferably are on a circular arc. Screws l2 pass through holes in flange II and are held in threaded holes in plate 5.

The edges 9' of flange 9 and ll of flange ll slide within the slot, serving to hold the flanges in position. The outer screws I! are then fastened to the plate and the leg iron.

Instead of separate spurs, all five spur points may be made integral in one complete section. In this case all five spurs would be identical and arranged so that the points are on a circular arc.

By making face 6' cylindrical in shape, with the cylinder axis vertical, the points 8 may likewise be arranged in an arc. Flanges 9 and II should then have a like cylindrical shape. The device of Figure 3 avoids the necessity of cylindrical surfaces.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. A climbing attachment comprising a leg shank; a holder plate attached on the outer side of the shank; the holder having a slot, the slot having an inner face and upper and lower retaining edges; two outer spurs and at least one inner spur projecting downwardly and outward- 1y, each spur being attached to a flange, the flange being seated in and retained in the slot; the points of the two outer spurs projecting an equal distance from the outer face of the leg shank, the inner spur point being projected a lesser distance from the outer face of the leg shank; whereby the lower extremities of the three spur points are disposed in a horizontal arc.

2. The apparatus described in claim 1 in which,

spurs each have an individual flange, the two outer spurs being fixed to their respective flanges at an acute horizontal angle to the inner face of the flange, the slot having an upwardly extenci ing planar face that supports the inner face of the flange, the three spurs being equal in length.

THORNTON T. MUNGER. THEODORE KACHIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 Number Name Date 1,252,764 Zielinski Jan. 8, 1918 1,632,688 Allahverdian June 14, 1927 I 2357,159 Bennington Aug. 29, 1944 

